32nd Annual Student Research Conference
The Fourth Reich: A Profile of the Modern Nazi
Skep Bonebrake
Dr. Hena Ahmad, Faculty Mentor
The modern neo-Nazi movement has been rising in power and strength since the early 1990s, and experienced marked growth with Donald Trump’s election. In order to understand their rise and impact, the motivations and ideology of the modern Nazi must be examined, as well as their interactions with and views of various socioeconomic classes and social groups. Previous research indicates a culture of “willful ignorance” within Nazi circles, as well as a majority of modern Nazis being white, middle-class, able-bodied, cisgender heterosexual males. Despite this, there is a common fear of “white genocide,” in which modern Nazis fear their own extinction and view themselves as “protectors” of the white “race,” as in the infamous “14 Words.” Through interviews and observation via social media, as well as comparison to studies of historical Nazism, a profile of the modern Nazi is developed. The topics of minorities within Nazism, their recruitment methods, and backgrounds will also be addressed.
Keywords: Nazi, alt-right, Trump, racism
Topic(s):Interdisciplinary Studies
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 302-4
Location: BH 114
Time: 2:15